Our Lady of Light (Estero) Lay Apostle Group

I always love spending time with lay apostles. We had the honor of a small get together Tuesday night at our house with 3 ladies representing the Estero prayer group and 3 Ave Maria University students heading to Ireland this summer for School of Holiness 2015. Two of the students, Beth and Sam, will be first timers. This year there has been a record number of applications coming in from young people all over the world wanting to attend. As you can imagine, there are many in need of scholarship money to make the trek. This wonderful prayer group has made a donation toward scholarships for the Ave Maria students. 

I know how much these young people appreciate any help available to offset the costs of this spiritual adventure in Ireland. If you are able to help a student, please send donations to:

Direction for Our Times

9000 W. 81st St.

Justice IL 60458

Make sure you designate School of Holiness scholarship donation on your check. Or, go to the DFOT website where it specifies donations for School of Holiness: Donate to School of Holiness

For more information about this spiritual retreat for young adults, click here: Info on School of Holiness

God bless,
Bonnie

New Life

With Easter comes new life. And new life comes with responsibilities. How can we deepen our faith if we don't nurture and care for it on a daily basis as we do our children? Just as a child is a precious gift from God, so is belief in Him. Neglect only leads to dire circumstances.

Today's Gospel (Luke 24:13-35) finds two disciples walking along the road discussing all that had occurred over the past few days. Jesus appears walking along side of them, asking what they were so intently debating. The disciples don't recognize Jesus. Their eyes could not distinguish His presence until Jesus removed the veil:

And he said to them, "Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them what referred to him in all the Scriptures. As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, "Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over." So he went in to stay with them. And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.

In Volume Three the Blessed Mother is speaking to priests, but the message applies to all of us:

"Better you say to a soul, 'Follow the path of righteousness.' In the event you have been wronged, look clearly at what happened. Be assured God is displeased with the wrong levied against you. It was not God’s will that you be injured. But God will judge your offender. The offender will not escape divine justice and the offense will not remain hidden. There are no successful lies or deceits in heaven, my children. God will heal even the most grievous of wounds and injuries. Believe this. If you do not believe this, dear souls, how on earth can you convey this gift of healing to others? You cannot. It would be impossible. So you must obtain this gift of faith before you can share it. To obtain it, you must spend time with Jesus. There is no other way. You cannot give what you do not have."

Whenever I gaze into the eyes of our grandchildren, I am overwhelmed with love for Jesus. These beautiful babies remind me to love and cherish my gift of Faith. To nurture it as our grandchildren will be nurtured by our daughters and their husbands. 

Our four angels! 

Beautiful Easter Mass with Whit/Kev/and kids!

Savannah loves her Papa!

Thank you, Lord, for the precious gifts of our four grandchildren. They have strengthened me to new heights!

God bless,
Bonnie

Easter Sunday Reflection by Anne a lay apostle

Let us imagine that when the Lord viewed His Passion anddeath from the place of His Resurrection, He saw that He had all

He could manage on the cross in the physicality of His suffering.

He, who possessed hope for all humanity, fought the greatest

battle ever fought for hope. He did not die in desolation, despite

the circumstances of His death. He died in hope because He

retained His hope against the enemy’s effort to destroy all hope for

all time for all people. The Lord looked upon the physical reaction

to the suffering, which, it must be said, took place not in one part

of His body but in all parts of His body. He was wounded

simultaneously and thus, as a human being, was trying to tend to

Himself in that suffering in many, many areas, physically,

emotionally, spiritually, psychologically…the Lord truly took it on

in every area all at once.

We resemble Christ when this happens to us, that is, many

sufferings at one time. One suffering can impact all of these areas

and we will have to be busy tending to all of the areas during the

time of the suffering and after.

What will we look like when we are suffering grave trials?

Well, did Christ look like a King when He trudged up the hill,

bleeding, seemingly powerless, mocked and rejected? Did He look

like a King when they took away even His clothing, rendering Him

naked before cruelty? Did Christ look like a King when they nailed

His beautiful hands and feet to wood, something the Father

created in His great benevolence? The answer is no. And each one

of us is a treasure, like Christ, in that we were created by the Father

to be reverenced and assisted by others as we make our way

through the sufferings in our lives.

Apostles, when people are suffering the many aching passions

in their lives, they will show signs of wear and tear. Christ is the

jewel of humanity. Christ is the only perfect specimen. But He did

not look like that when they turned on Him, distorting his

Kingship to the furthest possible extent by disempowering Him

completely. What emerged from this situation?

The King emerged.

Excerpt from Transforming Grace 

 I am truly the King of heaven and I am the King of all God’s children on earth. I am the King of all that is good and I am the King of love. Most of all, and most importantly for you, I am your King. -Jesus

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Good Friday Reflection by Anne a lay apostle

Good Friday Reflection 

Stations of the Cross: Excerpt from Whispers from the Cross

 

1st Station- Jesus is condemned

The condemnation of Christ was anticipated, and was part, perhaps the greatest part, of God’s plan for Jesus and for us. Tabor and Calvary. Transfiguration and Crucifixion. Both woven into the tapestry of the life of the Blameless One. Jesus was unjustly judged and condemned. When we share that experience, we must accept it quietly, like Christ.

 

2nd Station- Jesus accepts his cross

Accepting the cross is not a momentary action without consequences. It is a doorway through which we walk, entering an ongoing experience of Calvary as one who follows Christ.

 

3rd Station- Jesus falls the first time

Life throws us to the ground, whether through our own failures or the failures of others. This should not discourage us, even though discouragement accompanies the experience. Sometimes, even in the same day, following Christ requires a series of decisions to rise and continue on.

 

4th Station- Jesus meets his mother

Often our pain is increased by the reaction of others to our suffering. This painful prism of misunderstanding is another facet of the cross and should be viewed as such. Our Blessed Mother understands our pain perfectly, and just as she never left her Son, she will never leave us.

 

5th Station- Simon helps Jesus

We resemble Christ when we move to assist another who struggles to manage a cross and Christ Himself is pleased when we humble ourselves and accept the help of others.

 

6th Station- Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

We are prompted through charity and mercy to help others. Others are blessed and consoled. And we take away with us the imprint of God’s goodness flowing through us, conforming us more completely to Jesus as He makes His way into the world.

 

7th Station- Jesus falls the second time

Oh sad disappointment! More pain. Still, the journey remains incomplete. Must we continue? We rise and return to the cross, to the plan unfulfilled.

 

8th Station- Jesus consoles the women of Jerusalem

Pity the women who share the dreadful concern of Mary for the children of God. Each person is someone’s child and holds the hopes and prayers of a mother that the world will be gentle and kind. Oh Jesus, give us your mercy for others.

 

9th Station- Jesus falls the third time

The commitment is to the death. The Collapsed knows only that life remains and, as such, must be offered until it is exhausted. Up. Onward. God will sustain. Let the Spirit drive us forward.

 

10th Station- Jesus is stripped of His garments

How sublime is the offering of standing naked before those who hate us and yet, in some way, less cruel than standing stripped before those who love us. Oh Jesus, give us the trust to endure all humiliation with confidence in the ultimate triumph of God’s love.

 

11th Station- Jesus is nailed to the Cross

Agony and relief. Total commitment leaves less room for question. We ask not ‘if ’ anymore. We ask simply, ‘how’, moment by moment in life’s anguish.

 

12th Station- Jesus dies on the Cross Perseverance is the jewel of all jewels. Do not doubt the triumph. Do not back away from the course.

 

13th Station- Jesus is laid in the arms of His Mother Quiet at last. A grief complete, but pregnant with joy. Humanity endures total stillness, even while time awaits the birth of all hope, the triumph of triumphs.

 

14th Station- Jesus is laid in the tomb The body is reposed and the life is concluded, returned to timelessness once again.

 

 

Oh Jesus, help us to remember that the opportunity to serve you on earth will end. Give us the grace to be laid to rest after a life of offering, knowing that on each day we recognized you as our beloved King and lived, to the best of our ability, our allegiance to the Father. Give us the power of the Holy Spirit that we may continue to love in every circumstance life presents. Amen 

 

Excerpt from Whispers from the Cross

 

 

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Holy Thursday Lenten Reflection by Anne a lay apostle

Holy Thursday Lenten Reflection

Every lover of Jesus Christ will eventually find his way to the foot of the cross, where he will gaze at the Crucified One and engage in contemplation of those wounds which delivered salvation to humanity. Through contemplation of these wounds, we find our own place in the salvation story. Our sufferings begin to become understandable as also co-redemptive, like Mary’s, and therefore also meaningful and valuable.

Jesus gazes down at us from the throne of His earthly Kingship, that is, His cross, and He offers each follower His gratitude. Just as one views those rare friends who arrive to share suffering, Jesus views us, imperfect but present, lacking in full understanding, yes, but also tremulously interested and engaged in the pain of the Savior we seek to know and emulate.

Jesus saw His mother at the foot of the cross and He saw one of His twelve apostles, John. What qualified John to stand as both sentinel and witness to the most pivotal moment in the history of the redemption of mankind? Love qualified John and ultimately love will qualify each one of us, the apostles for this time. John was known as John the Beloved and it was love that allowed John to be intricately woven into the tapestry of the Passion.

Because John was present to Jesus at the foot of the cross, John witnessed the Savior’s pain as Jesus asked, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” John learned about holiness through this experience of apparent abandonment and John also received His instruction which was “Son, behold thy mother.”

So John, through love, later knew that feelings of utter abandonment were part of the experience of one who is commissioned to spread the Good News. And this made him strong. And John, through love, was able to execute the plan of heaven because he received his instruction directly from Jesus, which was to protect Our Lady and her role in the early Church. And this made John fearless.

In the same way, Jesus wants to teach us about those sufferings which will happen upon us as we make our way through our life’s witness to God. In the New Testament, we find apostles willing and even eager to be crucified like Christ. This cannot be ignored. The model sent to us by the Father, of the Son, provides us with all that we need to successfully navigate the call to holiness that is love’s mandate. To continue reading click here.

 An excerpt taken from  

Whispers from the Cross

  

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Maundy Thursday: To Wash Another's Feet

Holy Thursday invokes visions of Jesus calmly washing the feet of His disciples, knowing His hour had come and the inhumane torture He was about to endure. I try to imagine what He must have been feeling . . . thinking. Sad because those He loved would betray Him? Frustrated He would be put to death like a criminal? Anxious about the pain of the first whip to strike His Body?  Probably. He was human. But He is also looking at the big picture, thinking about us and God's Will for Him. He knows His death leads to our salvation. This contemplation lead me to thinking about Jay and our girls, sons-in-law and grandchildren. I would do anything for them. I would die for them. If I knew my death would save them, I would do it in a heartbeat. I can see myself, for the their sake, being calm and loving the night before; trying to assure them of the destination I had been working toward before I died. Trying to help them live a better life by walking closely with Christ in humility. Jesus loved His disciples as deeply as we love our spouses, children and grandchildren. We must all remember on this Maundy Thursday how the Son of God humbly washed the feet of those He loved . . . including the man who would betray Him. It's all about love, isn't it? Loving others despite their intentions. Forgive them, Lord, for they know not what they do.

In the Gospel today (John 13:1-15), Jesus doesn't skip a beat in teaching His disciples the meaning of service to others:

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper,  fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power  and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin  and began to wash the disciples’ feet  and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,  “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him,  “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him,  “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him,  “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over;  so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

So when he had washed their feet  and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,  he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,  you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow,  so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

In Anne a lay apostle's book Lessons in Love, she directs us to spend time with Jesus in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament if we feel we are faltering:

"Jesus sends the greatest sacramental graces through the Church and those who have decided to do without these graces are in actual fact rejecting the very food that nourishes holiness. Also, God, as the source of all wisdom, knows the most effective ways to assist humanity. If we are serving with Him, He can direct our efforts in a way that makes them abundantly fruitful, far more fruitful than if we do not access and heed His direct counsel. Perhaps those fallen-aways who were baptized Catholic can be encouraged to meet the Jesus of the Bible. If one studies Jesus Christ scripturally, one falls in love with Him. He was fair, just, and always loving. Since all of Christianity is based on the Lord’s life, it would seem wise to have a good look at Him personally before rejecting Him and the way of life He  began. While doing this, one could ask the Lord to reveal Himself if He chooses. At that point, after one has studied Jesus in Scripture and found Him to be good, perhaps the one who searches for truth should sit with Jesus in front of the tabernacle. As Catholics, we believe in the Lord’s true presence in the Eucharist, which He Himself announced on Holy Thursday at the Last Supper. The one who has rejected his faith could then ask the Lord to reveal Himself through the Eucharist."

Lay apostles, imagine this is your last day on this earth. How would you spend it? Organize your day with this in mind. Call a loved one; attend daily Mass; babysit for a young mother; talk to your children about Jesus and humility (even if your children are 50!). Live this day, then the next day, and the next as if your last. I couldn't imagine any better preparation to meet our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

Thank you, Lord, for Your humble service the night before Your death. I promise to do my best to live each day as my last. 

God bless,
Bonnie  

Monthly Message for April 2015

We continue our cycle of monthly messages for 2015 with the message from April 1, 2007 for our prayer groups and personal reflection.

Jesus

My beloved apostles rest in My heart each time they pray. Truly, when you come to Me, I am there. There are times when you feel abandoned as I felt abandoned. I allow this so that you can share My experience. In this way, by sharing My experience of abandonment, you come to know Me more completely. Through this intimacy you become more like Me. My dear ones, it is through sharing My experience that you learn to love others who carry crosses. There are times when your humanity leads you to judge another but because you have suffered, you offer compassion instead of condemnation. Each experience in your life, shared with Me, increases your holiness and your capacity for compassion. Think of the times when someone treated you with compassion when you expected condemnation. Think of the times in your life when someone treated you with kindness and support, overlooking a failure or a flaw. My friends, you do not always understand but it is the crosses you carry that enhance these heavenly capabilities in your soul. I know you struggle. I accept your weaknesses. Do not think that your anguish is a measure of your holiness. Do not think that because you find your cross heavy, you are not making progress. I am with you and I am advancing you, even while you groan with weariness. The Kingdom will make the best possible use of the inevitable suffering that accompanies your humanity. Your decision to serve is all that is necessary to draw graces for others from your life. Be at peace that I understand your suffering and your movement to holiness. I am with you in each moment. I take the greatest joy in accepting your offering of suffering and rewarding it with heavenly gains, both in your soul and in the world. You are My beloved ones. You are My chosen ones. The greatest care is taken with each of your little souls. Your progress is apparent from My vantage point. You must trust Me and allow Me to access others through you. Think back on our walk together. Think of the great graces I have flowed through you in the past. This flow of grace is increasing by the moment and is not dependant on your perfection but on My perfection. My presence in your soul brings a perfume into the world that is irreplaceable. I need you. Our unity, yours and Mine, brings unique benefits to the Kingdom. Yes, you are important to Me and to your heavenly family. Rest against your Jesus now as I send you courage and strength and heavenly calm.

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Direction for Our Times (DFOT) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God's messages as revealed in the Volumes.

Wednesday of Holy Week: Judas Was Not the Nicest Apostle

Special blog post today from one of my favorite young writers, Annie (senior at Ave Maria University):

Let’s start with a quick poll: Hands up anybody who has never felt betrayed or let down before. Did you put your hand up? If so, Congratulations! You are probably the only person ever in the history of the world who doesn’t know what that feels like. Betrayal is possibly one of the hardest experiences that we can live through. If you’ve ever been disappointed by another in this way (and we’ve established that the odds aren’t good that you haven’t), you know what I’m talking about. The pain is much worse when the person who turned against you was someone you never would have expected to hurt you. To be scorned and disrespected by someone who was supposed to love you is one of the greatest shocks I think there is. 

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 26:14-25), we are shown that Jesus Himself was no stranger to the concept of disloyalty.

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?” He said, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The teacher says, AMy appointed time draws near;  in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples.”‘“The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said,  “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, “Surely it is not I, Lord?” He said in reply, “He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.” Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” He answered, “You have said so.”

Let this sink in for a moment. Jesus, the Son of God, the most awesome Person who ever walked the planet (except maybe for Wolverine? but I don’t know if I’m allowed to think that) was betrayed by one of His closest friends. Judas was one of His twelve apostles, one of the men He trusted most, one of the few people that He chose to be constantly by His side throughout His earthly ministry. How must he have felt when Judas turned against Him? When you think of your experience of betrayal, remember to connect those feelings to Christ’s, because he went through it too. Those of you who are tempted to blame yourselves or think that there is something wrong with you, that some inherent flaw in you must have caused this person to treat you this poorly, that you are not loveable; you’re not, and you’re wrong. It happened to Jesus, so it literally happens to the best of us. Do not feel ashamed by what happened to you. The wrong that others do to you is never a reflection of you, just another person’s mistake, for which they are probably suffering also.

Jesus encourages us in the booklet Heaven Speaks to Those Who Experience Tragedy to allow ourselves the healing process and to bring our sorrows to Him:

"My friend, there are events in every life that stand out as difficult and life-altering. This tragedy, this abrupt change of course, will stand out to you, I know. When you feel a sense of shock, a sense of stunning upset in your life, you must look for me. I am there. I do not remain with My children, day after day, and then abandon them when they most need my support. Your grief is understandable and I will support you in it. You will not always understand why I allowed a certain thing to happen. In your expected inability to understand, you will challenge me. You will say, “God, how could you have allowed this? God, where are You? God, why have You abandoned us?” My friends, bring those questions directly to me because I, Myself, am the most sympathetic listener when it comes to these heartfelt cries of anguish. You see, I cried these cries Myself. In my humanity, on the cross, I felt abandoned. In My humanity, on the cross, I questioned the value of God’s plan. From My viewpoint, nailed to a piece of wood and raised aloft as a subject of total rejection and derision, it appeared that I suffered more than anyone. It appeared that none could know the extent of My pain. My beloved child, I tell you this so that you will understand that I, your Savior, grasp the depth of your pain. I will walk you through each moment of anguish, surrounding you with heaven’s graces. No. You will not be left to walk alone through this tragedy."

When the people we love let us down, it throws everything we thought we knew into confusion. Maybe you’re like me, and it makes you want to burn down buildings or punch pillows in the throat (and by pillows I mean people, but that sounds more aggressive). Or maybe you’re also like me and you are tempted to shut yourself off to all people forever because clearly nobody in the WHOLE WORLD can be trusted EVER AGAIN. (Maybe you’re much less dramatic than me and you respond maturely and positively to distressing social circumstances, but I don’t really have anything new to tell you people, you probably have it figured out better than I do.) There are a couple of problems with these responses. One, there are legal problems with burning down buildings you don’t own, especially if they are someone’s house. Two, when we harden our hearts to people, we necessarily harden our hearts to God. Closing ourselves off to God is going to be a lot more harmful to us than whatever injury is inflicted upon us by others. So let’s open ourselves up to Him instead.

Also, when you’re ready to, pray for your Judas. You’ve gotta feel bad for someone who even Jesus said would be better off not born, so let’s limit the amount of Judas’ in the world with our forgiveness. I know it’s hard, but you never know what hell might have put them in the position to hurt you. We hurt Jesus all the time, each and every one of us, and He forgives us readily. We can learn so much from Him if we are willing to try.

Congratulations on surviving Lent guys! We’re almost there!

Annie

Monday of Holy Week - What is Your Attitude Going to Be?

Writing this blog allows me to express how I am feeling. Others may not like what I have to say, but my thoughts are my thoughts. I am nothing special. But I am a lay apostle trying to do everything the Lord asks of me with love and kindness for this mission. I keep myself in check with those I love and trust, making sure I interpret meaning and intent in what I read and hear. It's very sad when others take their misery out on me.  Sometimes the truth hurts. I know it hurts because there have been many truths about myself I've had to look at over the last 9 years since becoming a lay apostle. So, when you read something on my blog that offends you, think about why it offends. Is there some truth to it? Is it something you don't want to admit about yourself because if you did it would mean you are flawed just like me? 

In todays Gospel (John 12:1-11), see how others assume the worst with a selfish attitude when what was being done was for the Lord:

Six days before Passover Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. They gave a dinner for him there, and Martha served, while Lazarus was one of those reclining at table with him.  Mary took a liter of costly perfumed oil made from genuine aromatic nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and dried them with her hair; the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  Then Judas the Iscariot, one of his disciples, and the one who would betray him, said, “Why was this oil not sold for three hundred days’ wages and given to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief and held the money bag and used to steal the contributions. So Jesus said, “Leave her alone. Let her keep this for the day of my burial. You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me.”

The large crowd of the Jews found out that he was there and came, not only because of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. And the chief priests plotted to kill Lazarus too, because many of the Jews were turning away and believing in Jesus because of him.

In Anne a lay apostle's book The Mist of Mercy, she beautifully describes the traps of evil:

"As lay apostles, we must look into each relationship in our lives and be certain that we follow Godly principles. We must seek to be genuinely giving, with an awareness that we should strive to set an example of Christlike behavior to each other. The devil does not want this, of course. The devil wants to use us to exploit those around us. People cooperate by using others, perhaps for sex, for money, for power, or ego. We must be scrupulous not to fall into these traps. There is no benefit to reading, or indeed writing a work such as this if we use it only to identify the flaws of others. We must search tirelessly for our own flaws, using the example set by Jesus Christ as our behavioral goal."

Lay apostles, think before you speak . . . read before you send. Don't let the traps of piety, power or ego get in the way of Christlike behavior. We are all servants of heaven. Serve the best you can. It's all any of us can do.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing the true joy and happiness being a lay apostle brings. You have strengthened me with Your Words and those surrounding me.

God bless,

Bonnie

Anne Shares a Lenten Reflection

So grateful for Anne's inspiring messages! 

Anne Shares a Lenten Reflection

If we desire a share in the divine life during our time on earth, we must be willing to allow the Resurrected Christ to live in us and through us. This will be accomplished through our willingness to stare into Easter Sunday joy, yes, and also Good Friday suffering and death. We will suffer, dear friends, during our time on earth and will offer our bodies to the Father at the end of our time, just as Jesus offered His body to the Father at the end of His life. Jesus died after fulfilling the promise of His life by death on the cross. We can live, even during trials, the life of Christ. Let me explain. It is the same thing as saying the word ‘HOPE’. Hope is the road on which we travel through suffering safely. Hope protects us from idleness in the spiritual life in that there is no greater call to do our spiritual work cheerfully than when we are suffering. Being convicted about hope is the way we immunize ourselves from cynicism, which might be somewhere near the opposite of hope. When we sustain a series of sufferings, we can find that our hope is flat. We may kick it, metaphorically speaking, throw water on it, and even try to shock it electrically through our favorite Scripture or devotion and what occurs? Nothing. Hope does not leap. Hope sometimes lies still. This is a frightening state of affairs for those who are naturally buoyant. But humanity often only recognizes a suffering in another which he himself has suffered.

To examine hope that is accessible, let us look to Jesus on Easter Sunday morning. Imagine He is sitting outside of His tomb, which had enclosed His broken body, that is, the remnant of His expired humanity. Death had seemingly overcome Him. He was certainly not preaching with His mouth when He lay wrapped in burial cloths. No. There was no evidence of His divinity visible to human beings as the stone was rolled across the opening of the tomb. The crowds dispersed. For those who had been inspired to hope through the life of Christ, all hope would seem to have died. Imagine them walking away. Would it be accurate to say that their legs carried them away from the savagery of the Passion only through the action of the Spirit of hope remaining in them?

My friends, breathing itself illustrates some degree of hope. And it is for that reason, the absolute requirement of hope to keep a person inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide, that Satan cannot extinguish hope in humanity. Only God, who breathed hope into humanity when He breathed life into him, can reach into our humanity through our souls and draw back life into Himself. When we take a life, through violence or euthanasia, we are trying to be God. We, through the very gift of our free will, given to us by the Creator, attempt to force God to submit to our will. How embarrassing is a belief that we hold anything near to the wisdom of the Creator! Abortion, euthanasia, and indeed any murder, makes us pitifully arrogant. We are pretending that we hold the wisdom to extinguish hope because when we extinguish life, we have decided that no hope should exist in the life

God created. If life is cooperating with the oxygen God provided, there is hope. Period.

But hope is a funny thing. It is just like oxygen in that it is invisible. It is like the wind in that it can often only be recognized by its effects. A mother feeds a sick child. She has hope the child will be restored or she would stop feeding the child. A terminally ill patient is given water.

Why? We have hope that the person will be sustained and comforted, but for what purpose? So that he can continue to inhale and exhale oxygen, thus, preserving hope for all of humanity until that person has completed his or her time in humanity. When, through God’s decision, that person surrenders his body to the Creator and advances into timelessness, hope is not extinguished, it simply transfers into those who remain with even greater abundance. Who would deny that they feel the spirit and presence of their ancestors who have gone before them, if only for an instant? Hope is something like oxygen. We must be careful never to pollute it, deny it or damage it in another. And the Resurrected Christ lives in each one of us who welcome Him. We must never be more certain of this than when we are suffering desolation.

The Resurrected Christ
An excerpt from Transforming Grace





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Lent Day 37: Deny Him and You Are Choosing Darkness

Justifications. We human beings are so good at justifying our misbehavior . . . our sin. We choose to live in the darkness because living in the Light means believing and obeying God and His Word in Scripture. It means, if you are a lay apostle of this mission, BELIEVING and ACTING ON the messages from Jesus and all of heaven. God doesn't expect us to be perfect. But He does expect us to love as He loves; forgive as He forgives; and most importantly, NEVER deny Him or His Son. I recently heard the words "I put it out to the universe" come from a young Christian's mouth. Probably the look of horror on my face made them quickly say, "umm, God." Since when do we refer to Our Lord as the "universe?" Some may think I am overreacting. But to me, this is denying Our Creator. The "universe" is some unknown entity floating around in the darkness. I know "universe" is very New Age thinking and focuses around 'you' the individual instead of service to God and His Children. Maybe this term is an excuse to live in the darkness and not in reality, allowing for justification of sins. Maybe it's easier if the "universe" denies you and not God. I don't know the answer as this is so far from my thought process. If you are a Christian, think next time you "put it out to the universe." God is the Creator of all, so please use His Sacred Name and give credit where credit is due. He is the One we will all see upon our death . . . do you really want to deny Him now?

Todays Gospel (John 8:51-59) makes me realize how PATIENT our Dear Jesus was with those denying Him:

Jesus said to the Jews: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.”  So the Jews said to him, “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died?  Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?”  Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word.  Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.”  So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.

In Volume One, Jesus calls us to be His Light on earth:

"People today, remarkably, blame God for all manner of hardship and badness. They use the fruits of sin to justify their failure to follow Me. Children, it is not I who have brought this darkness over the world. It is you, by your sin and failure to serve. There is enough food in the world. There should not be hunger. Medical care, also, can be spread around in a more effective manner. Humanitarian assistance to your poor and less advanced societies is an act of mercy and those who practice it are following My will, whether they know it or not. Truly, I want these acts of mercy from you. And I want you to stop blaming your God for your failures. Do not let others get away with this. Defend Me. And defend My priests and nuns. Vocations are down in your more advanced societies. I am sending you holy souls but you are not nurturing them. They receive no formation or direction and their gifts are not developed. Children, dear children, I need leaders now. I need every single one of you to turn your faces to heaven and agree to serve Me with your whole lives. The plan I have for you will amaze you. Be docile and let Jesus direct. Through this will come happiness and relief to so many. This will happen, My children. The darkness has lost its time now and I will have the world My way. You must see that this happens in your corner. Are you ready to walk with Me? I call you, My child. Waste no more time. Respond to Me now."

Lay apostles, do you stand up for Jesus? When you hear someone denying Him in one way or another, do you speak up in His defense? Or do you let it go because of potential backlash? Personally, I feel we all should be offended for Him and defend our Beautiful Savior who died for US!! If we don't, who will? He is calling us to action . . . now.

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me in the Gospel today the importance of gently reminding those who deny You of Who they will meet when it's time to go home.

God bless,
Bonnie

Volume 4 Audio CD Now Available!

Volume 4 Audio CD Now Available       To purchase Audio Volume 4 Click here Part One: Jesus The King Part Two: Heaven Speaks to Priests Part Three: Jesus speaks to Sinners Listen to Volume 4 Audio samples from each part below.  Click image to listen to audio sample   Part One: Jesus the King Part Two: Heaven Speaks to Priests  Part Three: Jesus Speaks to Sinners Have you been blessed through the Volumes? Please help others receive these words by donating a dollar a day. Your donation makes a big difference.    Direction for Our Times (DFOT) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to spreading God's messages as revealed in the Volumes.